Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Mourning For My Country

Anyone who is actually paying attention and wanting to educate themselves can tell that there is a major split in the Republican party. One side is all about values and conservative principles. The other side just wants to beat Hillary Clinton where those values and principles don't matter. But this struggle is also more than just who likes Ted Cruz versus Donald Trump. It is a serious issue of moral decline in our country. Our only hope cannot rest in just one man.



I believe that there is a bigger reality. It is God who only knows the outcome of this election. He could allow another "Reagan" or He could allow another "Obama". What God wills to do will happen and it will bring glory to His name. This is what I believe.
But my heart is still troubled by the transformation of how this election process has played out. It seems like no one cares about what is right or wrong anymore. It is all about fear and anger and not what is right. People are choosing their candidates by how the candidate makes them feel or their personality traits that make them electable. It is no longer about the issues but how entertained we are or how the candidate moved us in someway. I have given up hope in what's going on but I hold onto that God is still in control of this election process.
Because I believe in God's Word, this should be no surprise to me. God's Word tells us that ALL have sinned. When Adam and Eve said no to God, sin entered world. The world doesn't know anything different. Sometimes I even allow my sinful nature get the best of me and I fret and get angry. But the gospel should be our hope.
The only thing we need to be focusing on is the long term. What is our perspective? Is it fretting or getting angry and allowing our sinful flesh get the best of us or is it the souls of those who don't know any better? How do we respond when we see how things are going in our nation? I long for a heart that approaches people with boldness to show them the gospel. That is what matters. That is what will change this nation if God wants it to change. Instead of being angry at people who don't seem to get it, I need to be reaching out in grace and love. It just starts with one person.
 
 
I am challenging myself and you as my reader to find our hope in God and return to His word. Here are a few things I have come up with:
Number One
Pray for a revival in our souls! It starts with us as Christians.
We know God and His Word. We need to pray for brokenness
and to let go of the things we want to hold on to so tightly.
Number Two
Pray for God's will and not what we want! That's hard for me.
The idea of Donald Trump winning makes me cringe.
But if God wills it, He has a purpose and plan through it.
I can't fight that.
Number Three
Pray that we can respond in love and not anger! This is the very reason
why Christians don't get involved in politics. It is so important that we
hold onto our witness but avoiding politics is counterproductive.
As Christians, we need to know what's going on because it will soon involve us.
Number Four
Wait and draw near to God to see what He wants us to do.
I am not saying you have to get involved in a campaign for your favorite candidate.
Think and pray over the gifts that God has given to you.
How can you use them to draw people near to Him? That is what will change
people's hearts in this country. I have been praying about on how
I can share God's Word because I firmly believe that changes lives
Number Five
Get connected with a church. No matter if you want to admit it or not,
life is not going to be easy as Christians anymore. People don't care about
God and His word. We need each other to build each other up but also
to keep each other growing in our faith and keep us accountable.
Number Six
Pray for the candidates who say they are Christians! The ones I know that
profess values are Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Rick Santorum, and Marco Rubio.
Ted Cruz has a prayer team that calls in every Tuesday to listen to a pastor
share encouraging words and then prays for the weekly prayer requests.
Along with the phone call, they send out an email that gives prayer
requests and needs with a Scripture. I would be curious about the others.
The church is our only hope. We have God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit in us that can make a difference in this nation. It is never too late. We just need to focus on the gospel and pray for revival for our own souls. And pray that if it is God's will, we would have a national revival just like how our country was started. 

linking up with jennifer on her page 

10 comments :

  1. I'm right there with you Kristina. I am praying fervently. Jesus is the answer to what ails our nation and the local church can definitely be the hands and feet of Jesus to our suburbs, cities, and nation. Thank you for the encouraging word. It's uplifting to see I'm not the only one with this stance and concern for our nation. God bless!

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    1. Thank you for leaving a comment and feel free to share with others on Facebook or other social media sites. This is something that I feel is so important and we need to get something out there to encourage others. Thanks again

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  2. Thank you for these suggestions. God's absolutely got our country in the palm of His hand. He is in control - whoever ends up in the White House.

    Lynette

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  3. what a beautiful post! I'm still totally with Marco Rubio and have been since the convention for the last election, but God is in control of our country and our (His) church. Peace and hope to all of us ;)

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  4. Thank you for stopping by. I am sooo glad that you felt a connection with my post. I truly believe prayer and going back to God's word is what will change this country. Share it with others who feel the same

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  5. Wow, I just noticed your post on Jennifer's link-up, and it sounded like you are having the same burden as I am. I clicked over to visit you, as I linked up right after you, and I am so thankful I did. Oh, my heart is SO heavy! I pray and plead with God to have mercy! For 22 nights now, God has laid a heaviness upon my heart to go into intense, intercessory prayer each night. I have been a prayer warrior for years, but this is different. It is a heaviness that won't go away, and God has been very clear in the exact way He wants me to pray. I mourn for my country, too...thank you so much for sharing this. I so appreciate finding others of like mind. So thankful to meet you today!

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    1. That is awesome how God works! Like that makes me so very excited to know that there is someone praying so hard as you are! I wish I am more dedicated as praying for it. God is working on my heart through this because I still want to be in control. Donald trump really scares me but what should scare me more is the hearts of people who need Jesus. I am not there yet but He is sooooo faithful! Thank you for dropping by! I am going to check your blog out : )

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  6. We have had some interesting discussions around our table about this topic and in my classroom as I tutor (and teach the Constitution to a group of teenagers). And over and over, I come back to the reality that God is always fully in control and that the heart of the king is in His hands. We are called to be prayer warriors that it may bring peace and we are called to pray and seek His face, but He ...He is the one who is able to make manifest the power of His presence and His will and that is what I hold on to.

    Blessings!
    Dawn

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    1. When I read that you teach the constitution, I super excited! I am not strong in that area (just the bill of rights) and I long to be. What drove you to want to teach teens about the constitution? Are you a history teacher? What do you think of the founding fathers and their faith? As I told Cheryl above, God is working in my heart because it has only been recently that I have releasing the outcome of all of this to him. You should go over to my promises when someone drives you crazy. That actually was gear towards Donald trump. Thanks for stopping by

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  7. Goodness, a world with the bigoted, hate-filled, Trump at the helm would be headed for certain destruction....I think all the world is looking to American voters to dig deep down and *do the right thing*.

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